Question above is pretty blunt but was doing a study for a college course and came across that stat. How is that possible? My high school sucked but I was well equipped even with that sub standard level of education for college. Obviously income is a thing but to think 1 out of 5 American adults is categorized as illiterate is…astounding. Now poor media literacy I get, but not this. Edit: this was from a department of education report from 2022. Just incase people are curious where that comes from. It does also specify as literate in English so maybe not as grim as I thought.
Part of the reason so many can’t read above a 6th grade level is that they are always written to on that level. Anything written for any commercial purpose is always written at a low level so any idiot can understand the menu / read the packaging / consume the magazine ad / whatever. Commercial writers write for the lowest common denominator and to an extent, news media do as well.
So a 6th grade reading level is really all you need to get by. Unless you actually read books or opt for The Economist or something else that doesn’t assume you’re a moron, 6th grade level is all you’re gonna see.
There’s some utility in this. Simpler language is also lowest-common denominator for second-language-speakers, of which we have many. Another reason to use it.
It’s also important to note that a low reading grade level for writing is not “bad writing.” Most novels fall somewhere between 5th and 7th grade reading levels. Stephen King is typically around 6th grade, and Jane Austin was often at about 5th grade, for examples. There are plenty of writers who convey complex stories and themes at even lower grade levels, and it’s not unheard of to read a complex story at even a 4th or 3rd grade level. In many contexts a low grade level does not mean the content is simple or dumbed down–it’s just a measurement of the conveyance or style of the writing.
I tried to read Gravity’s Rainbow a few times. Is Pynchon some kind of genius or is he just an asshole?
Also looking at you James Joyce.
I found the first part of Gravity’s Rainbow a very fun ride. But I took a break at that point as it is very slow to read and I wouldn’t want to interrupt it mid-part. I was impressed that it was able to explain mathematical concepts in simple yet correct ways, which is rare in books let alone books this crazy.
Finnegans Wake on the other hand I haven’t even given a serious try. Spelling words as you see fit is too much for me.
Thank you for writing that in 6th grade English